reality second
by slade017
Summary: Am I a fix or a bug? Is any of this even real?
1. Chapter 1

Second Higurashi when they cry fic

John woke up with a gasp; the hospital scene was still fresh in his mind. He checked outside and saw London this time. 'Just a dream again' he looked down and backed up as his bed was covered in blood.

"John" his mother came in "are you feeling any better?"

"Oh…sure" said John trying to keep himself steady.

"You still look a bit off" she felt him completely ignoring the blood. "I have a couple of medicines that should solve that."

"A couple?"

"Yes but you only get one" she said, she held out two pills "take the blue pill and go back to sleep or take the red pill and be on your way."

"Well…I-I really should get out of the house" John took the red pill and swallowed it.

"Good because Rika and Satako are waiting" said Maria. John saw Hinamizawa outside now as the door bell rang. They came in.

"Good morning, it's good you're not sick anymore" said Satako with cat's eyes.

"Yes that would be most unfortunate if you missed anything important" said Rika.

'I should've taken the blue pill' thought John. Hanyu apologized in the background. They left for the day and went into town. They met the others at the toy store.

"John, are you feeling well, you look really pale" said Rena.

"Had a horrible nightmare last night" said John.

"To affect you it must've been bad" said Mion "I've seen you watch the worst horror movies and then go straight to sleep."

"Rena took over the world with an army of hyper intelligent bunny rabbits" said John "which is scarily plausible when you think about it."

"I wish that dream was reality" Rena was in her own little world.

"Okay that's pretty scary" said Keiichi.

"No the scary part was when she put Satako in charge of Japan" said John.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Point taken that's no ordinary nightmare" said Keiichi. Satako growled and snapped her fingers and pans fell on Keiichi and John.

"Okay enough horror stories for one day, it's time for the club activity" Mion announced.

"At a toy store?"

"Tournaments are sometimes held here and we compete" said John.

"It helps us and attracts more customers" said Mion "so it's good for both."

"And Mion pays the winner" John added.

"I do not, the winner gets prize money."

"That comes from your pocket" John pointed out.

"Details, details" she waved it off "what matters is the tournament."

"So once Rena is out of her fantasy we can start" said Rika. She was still stuck with the hyper intelligent bunny fantasy.

"Little bunny road kill" said John. Rena snapped out of it and looked around in a panic "Works every time."

"There should be a Rena instruction manual" said Keiichi. John handed him the book.

"We all have it memorized." The others showed their own copy making Keiichi sweatdrop.

The tournament was officially on. Satako and Rika got ahead and then Mion silently threatened anyone that tried stopping here from getting any cards and John took two cards when he could get away with it. Soon enough Keiichi figured the game out and got a couple of henchmen on his side just like on the show. 'Assuming it is actually a show or something else' thought John, he got a card of his own while thinking about that. It was a tree way tie between him, Keiichi and Mion before long.

The clock then chimed "and that's it for me" announced Mion "the game is postponed."

"What, no fair get back here Mion!"

"Sorry Keiichi but I have to go to work now."

"Work?"

'And now something happens' thought John 'something that causes everything to go to hell.'

Keiichi was given a doll and he gave it to Rena. John only then remembered that was bad yet Mion didn't seem to mind unlike the show where it was clear she was hurt by it.

'That's not right she should be disturbed she doesn't get it, what's going on?'

"John, remember to pick me up from work" said Mion "we need to plan for the festival at your house."

"Right sure."

"The festival?"

"It's an annual thing that happens in Hinamizawa I'll tell ya later" said John. 'Everything was done the same so what's wrong?' the others left and Keiichi suggested getting lunch. John remembered this was when Shion was introduced and agreed.

"Okay this place is good" said Keiichi.

"Not sure what they were thinking when they named the place though" said John.

"Meaning?"

"Mort comes from the Latin word Mortuus meaning dead. So the place is basically called dead angel" said John.

"Or Angel of Death depending on how you read it" said their waitress. "John, you're here?"

"M-Mion?" asked Keiichi.

"N-not exactly."

"Shion, so you work here after all" said John.

"Yeah could you not tell my grandma about this?" she asked.

"Hold on why are you calling her Shion?" asked Keiichi.

"Mion has a twin did I not mention that?" asked John.

"No you never brought that up."

"Then this is Shion Sonozaki" said John "Shion this is Keiichi Maebara."

"The new transfer Mion told me about."

"This isn't a prank is it?" asked Keiichi.

"No it's genuine" said John "you can trust me on that."

"Can I get you two some tea?" asked Shion.

"Coffee for me" said John.

"Coming right up."

"All this time Mion actually had a twin sister."

"They live apart so they're rarely seen together" said John. Afterwards he went and picked up Mion and went back to his house with her.

"No-one's home today" said Mion.

"I guess not" said John. He saw a note on the fridge door "ah right it's around that time. She's examining the health of the guards at your home."

"Then we can get started without any interruptions" Mion set up everything "Order of activities and rewards etc."

"Right I guess that's important" John sat down with her.

"Hey John is everything alright with you?" asked Mion.

"Why do you ask?"

"Something's just been off about you lately." John saw Hanyu getting close to Mion.

"Your right there is something off about me" said John "and it's only just showing now."

"Then what is it?"

"The truth Mion…I am an alien" said John.

"Huh? An alien?! Come on John stop joking around here!"

"It's true though I am an alien…from the UK since I am not native to this country" he said making Mion fall over anime style breaking any kind of paranoia she had.

"That's not funny John!"

"Hey I told the truth and you did set yourself up for that one" said John. Mion scowled "I wonder sometimes if anyone remembers I'm not from Japan."

"I guess we do forget it sometimes" Mion admitted "you've been living here so long we just don't notice it anymore. As far as we're concerned you're a Hinamizawan just like the rest of us. And thinking about it" she started to snigger "that joke was pretty funny you really had me going there. I know" she got inspired "we should totally try that on the others and see if they're hit by it!"

"Perhaps that's not the best-"

"Nonsense of course it's a good idea! The punishment game is surviving a fight with an alien! No wait even better the main event is figuring out which one of the group is actually an alien! I'd like to see just how many get that one!"

'Well at least she's not paranoid now' thought John.

"Thanks" said Hanyu. She went back to Rika while Mion was still making up plans. This would be an interesting year indeed.

'Yet I still haven't figured out why Mion reacted differently, what is it, what variable did I miss?' thinking about it more Shion also acted differently. 'What is it what am I missing?' he let Mion go to bed in the guest room and stayed up and set up a large white board in the living room. "Okay I went to the game tournament, the tournament ended in a draw just like the show" he drew the connections "Keiichi received a doll, he gave the doll to Rena just like in the show. Mion should've been noticeably disturbed by this but she wasn't, she was indifferent to it, why? Let's look at the variables, Satako's uncle and brother are still missing, Rika is the same, Rena is the same, Keiichi hasn't heard of the Cotton drifting festival yet and is still new. Ooishi hasn't visited yet, Tomitake and Takano haven't interfered yet. Shion…she acted differently as well she acted normally towards Keiichi. The murders and disappearances still happened. Everything is set up the same but things are playing out differently there has to be some cause, what am I missing?"

"Hey John" Mion was up "have you not gone to sleep yet?"

"I have a lot on my mind so I'm organizing my thoughts" said John.

"It's all in English" Mion complained "that makes no sense."

"I come from the birth place of the English language and I write in English" said John "your right Mion that makes no sense at all."

She pouted at him for a bit before getting a glass of water "look just be finished soon I don't want to have to drag you out of bed in the morning cause you can't wake up."

"Rika wakes me up you won't have to worry" said John.

"Oh yeah that's right she does" said Mion "I forgot about that."

"If you want to take over though I won't complain."

"D-don't get any ideas pal!" she exclaimed while blushing.

"Mion Sonozaki blushing I almost wish I had a camera" said John.

"In your dreams you'll never catch Mion Sonozaki in a blush!"

"First time for everything" said John with a slight smile.

"Maybe but not that one" said Mion.

"You know John sometimes you can be kinda dull" said Mion.

"Gee thanks" said John.

"Let me finish" said Mion "as I was saying sometimes you can be dull but you always come through for us."

"Do I?"

"Yeah, when Rena came back you helped her re-adjust to Hinamizawa and even when Satoshi…transferred you really helped out Satako and were there for her."

"I was…" new memories were coming back.

"Yeah those two really look up to you" said Mion "without you things would be totally different around here." That struck a chord in John. The final piece of the puzzle fit into place and John saw the whole horrific picture. "Well go to bed soon, good night."

"It's me…I'm the variable…"


	2. Chapter 2

Second Higurashi when they cry fic 2

The next day everyone gathered at school as usual.

"Hey I've got an idea how about before we play we figure out what today's punishment game is gonna be?" asked Rena.

"Now that girls got the right idea, today's punishment game is gonna be a doozy!" Mion got going.

"I'm sorry everyone I can't play today there's something else that I have to do instead" said Rika. Mion spun out of balance.

"Good luck then" said John; last night's revelation was still fresh in his mind. 'How cruel is it that the only one that might understand my problems only wishes to get to the next arc?' Hanyu got close to him and John swiped at her "will you cut it out?!" he noticed everyone staring at him "flies" he excused.

"So what are you practicing for?" asked Keiichi.

"The Cotton Drifting Festival" said Rika before leaving.

"Are we still holding an event there?" asked John.

"Yeah we do every year" said Mion "and then we see Rika's dance, she'll practice for it using the same kind of mallet that pounds Mochi rice."

"Wow she must be getting strong proves you can't judge someone by what they look like."

"I think you should judge someone by the opposite of what they look like" said Rena.

"By that logic Rena, you would be a pure psychopath, Keiichi and I are crazy and Mion is innocent and girly" said John.

"Yeah I can't see that happening" said Keiichi.

'Yet in a sense partially true' thought John nervously.

"Yeah I'd never act like that, oh I have to go to work" said Mion, she went off.

"Rena, I helped you out after you came back to Hinamizawa right?" asked John.

"That's right you did, it was really good of you."

"And would you describe yourself as a different person because of that?" asked John.

"A different person, umm…different how?"

"As in did you change or develop as a character?"

"I don't think so" said Rena "but it helped to know you'd always be on my side if I needed help."

"What's gotten into you all of a sudden, you rarely ask about that stuff" said Keiichi.

"I've come to realize I'm a bigger influence on Hinamizawa than I thought" said John.

"Yep a lot of things would be different without you here John" said Rena.

"So I've been told" said John nervously. He could only go to bed for the night not knowing what else to do.

John woke up the next day and checked outside as was habit for him by now. 'Wonder how I'll die this time?' he thought as he saw London. He'd noticed he tended to die in London not Hinamizawa surprisingly. "Thinking about it that way Hinamizawa might actually be safer." He paused for a moment to think about what he just said.

"John" his mother came in "are you feeling alright I heard you'd been ill lately."

"I think I'm going crazy" said John "I'm not even sure what's real anymore. It's like I'm stuck in this dream that I can never wake up from."

"Well I know what'll make you feel better" said his mother.

"And what's that?" he felt it when a carving knife was plunged into his chest.

"Time to go back home Jonathon" she took it out and John fell to floor drooling blood and only saw as she brought the knife down again.

John woke up "John" John jumped away from his mother who was right by the bed "I don't look that bad without make up do I?"

"W-where am I?!"

"Your room."

"That's not what I mean! Is it London or Hinamizawa I've gotta know!" he saw Hanyu hovering over him giving him an answer.

"You've been having a lot of these nightmares lately" said his mother "I really need to do another check on that new sleeping medication."

"Y-yeah y-you do that" he kept his breathing under control as he felt some itching under the skin.

"You should stay in bed today" she decided "I have to go out and make some house calls for now but luckily I have someone here to help look after you."

"Who?"

"Hey" Mion came in.

"She passed the test I gave her for basic nursing."

"Yep, Nurse Mion is here to make everything better!"

"That never happened till this world" said Hanyu "she must really like you."

'A little too much' thought John, she was supposed to like Keiichi not him.

"So be good while I'm gone you two, no sharing the bed" she added making them blush, she left them alone.

"Well John now that I'm here you can rest easy" said Mion "I'll have you back to normal before you know it." John was still deep in thought about everything that was going wrong. "Hey! I came here because I was worried about you ya know say something."

"Sorry Mion there's so much on my mind right now" said John.

"A lot on your mind? Didn't you take care of that with the whole white board?"

"I wish it was that easy" said John "I feel like I'm losing control of everything."

"Well no wonder you're so sick and stressed out" said Mion sitting on the bed "there's always going to be things out of your control, trying to control them all only leads to unnecessary stress."

"What imbecile told you that?"

"You did" said Mion "when I first started the club and I kept losing all those games because I kept trying to control too many things at once."

"I said that…" another thing he'd gone and changed.

"Yeah you can't control everything in life you only do what you can control" said Mion "which is why I win way more than I used to."

"Yeah…"

"So come on now cheer up, you don't want to miss the cotton drifting festival."

"Yeah can't miss that" said John.

"There that's got you more energetic already, just stay there and I'll get you some tea" said Mion.

"Thank you" said John.

"No problem I'll have the others come over to visit when they can" said Mion.

"The sooner the better" said John; he was remembering that Takano and Tomitake interfered before the festival this time. 'My existence has changed the plot but could I get it right this time?'


	3. Chapter 3

Second Higurashi when they cry fic 3

John woke up to music '_well here we are again, it's always such a pleasure, remember when you tried to kill me twice?'_

"So in London this time?" he said checking outside.

'_Oh how we laughed and laughed except I wasn't laughing, I'm telling you right now I'm going to kill you now John.'_

"What the…"

_You think you can escape me? You just keep dreaming on. _

"It's not real, it's not real."

'_You don't have long to live now; from here you will soon be gone.'_

"Hey John" Rika, Satako and Keiichi came in "we heard you weren't feeling well."

"I'll say" said Mion "he fell asleep right after I just made him tea too."

"Sorry Mion" said John. He checked and it was Hinamizawa again and the music had stopped. Hanyu floated worriedly near him. "Say does anyone want crème puffs I have plenty at the moment."

"Your just giving away food like that?" asked Satako suspiciously.

"As thanks for coming to visit" said John "Mion can you get them?"

"Why me?"

"You're the nurse and you know where they are" said John.

"Sure just drink the tea first" she gave him a really large mug of it and John took a sip and fought hard to keep the grimace off his face, it was stone cold.

"Refreshing, thanks" said John.

"That's what you get for sleeping when I make you tea" said Mion "so as club punishment you have to drink the whole thing."

"Love you too" said John, he took the punishment like a man though. "So how did everything go today?"

"We got the festival all set up" said Mion "so it'll be on by tomorrow, so make sure your better by then."

"I will, I will."

"Don't listen to her you should take your time getting better" said Rika "you don't want to get stabbed again this year."

"Stabbed?" asked Keiichi.

"Accident" said John quickly.

"Was not, you got stabbed defending me" said Rena. "Oh I wasn't supposed to say that was I?"

"John got stabbed by someone that wanted Rena and then he went to see Rika's dance and sat through the whole thing with the blade still in him before getting medical attention" said Satako.

"As long as you can avoid vital organ puncture you can take steps to avoid circulatory shock" said John "now crème puffs anyone?" Mion finally got those and that got Hanyu to calm down.

"John, one last thing" said Keiichi "do you know anything about the deaths and disappearances on the cotton drifting festival?" the air changed a bit as everyone was looking at him with different expectations.

"I'm aware of them" said John "but I'm guessing that's not the answer you're looking for."

"No, what do you know about them?"

"That they're most likely done by people living here" said John "well two are probably accidents."

"Two are accidents?"

"The priest and the couple that fell to their death" said John.

"Well the couple I get but why the priest, they said he died of a mysterious illness."

"It was a bloodless death" said John "they're notoriously hard to diagnose, it could've have been anything that did him in."

"How do you know?"

"My mother is a doctor" said John "I asked her after it happened."

"She's a doctor really?"

"Yeah" said Mion seeing a good way to get the conversation back to something favorable "she's the one my family uses and she even does house calls if she's available."

"Often we use her too" said Rika "she used to work in an emergency room so she's really good."

"And she can make all her cooking look really cute" said Rena. John noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

"An actual doctor in town that does house calls, I wish I'd know that earlier" said Keiichi.

"Mion, will you sit here please?" asked John.

"Why, you won't try anything if I sit there will you?" asked Mion.

"There is no whoopee cushion under the covers this time" said John, he showed her nothing was there.

"Fine serve the patient I get it" she sat down "so what's this about?"

"I have a present for you" said John.

"A present?" John put a cube with a heart on each side into her hands. "Uhh…"

"The companion cube" said John.

"It's so cute I want it I want it" said Rena.

"No" said Mion keeping it away.

"Just remember this" he brought her close "the companion cube will never threaten to stab you and in fact cannot speak" said John.

"O-okay, thank you John."

Satako snapped a photo "and there's a picture of Mion blushing!"

"Why you little!" that started a mini chase.

'Hopefully that will be enough to differentiate between Mion and Shion. When in doubt just ask them what you should remember about the cube.'

They all arrived at the cotton drifting festival the very next day.

"Wow, this years' better than the last" said Rena.

"I'll bet everyone from Hinamizawa is here" said Mion.

"Look its Satako, hey!"

"What took you so long?" asked Satako.

"Thanks for coming you guys" said Rika in her shrine uniform.

"Alright let's check out the festival till its Rika's turn to go on stage!" exclaimed Mion. They all agreed and ate at all the stands.

"There you are John" said his mother "good to see your better now."

"Mom" John saw his chance to stop a lot from happening.

"And you must be Keiichi Maebara?" she asked.

"Yes Mrs. Chains, it's good to meet you."

"And a good timing too, Keiichi needs your medical expertise" said John.

"I do?"

"The priest" John whispered in his ear before shoving him to his mother "don't worry you won't miss anything we'll save you a seat at the dance."

"John you've been rather jumpy lately" said Rena.

"I don't know what you're talking about" said John.

"You're hiding something" said Satako eyeing him suspiciously.

"It's not like I'm carrying a baseball bat wherever I go" said John "sorry that was uncalled for" he quickly apologized as he saw the reactions.

"Yet there's still something off about you" said Mion.

"I don't see it, now can we see the dance?" they saw that and as John planned Keiichi was still talking with his mother and too distracted to follow Tomitake and Takano. Though Shion was there, John did his best to pretend he didn't see her that way he could ignore her signs to come with her. Though Shion was a Sonozaki and they were known for persistence.

"Mion, do you mind if I borrow John for a bit?" she asked.

"Huh, well I guess you could…"

"Not like anything bad will happen" said Shion taking John away.

"What is this about?" asked John.

"I just needed you to come with me" said Shion "you do help protect me and Mion remember?"

"How could I forget?" asked John, he recognized this route. "Any reason we're going this way?" Shion shushed him and kept him close. They saw Takano and Tomitake going into the shrine tool shed and John reminded himself to keep paranoia under control. He could already see Hanyu nearby.

They noticed them and called them over, this could go wrong very quickly.


	4. Chapter 4

Second Higurashi when they cry fic 4

"Hello who's out there?" Takano noticed them.

"Looks like we got caught" said Shion.

"Isn't it us who caught them?" asked John.

"You two spying on us or on a date?" asked Tomitake.

"More like wondering what you two are doing" said Shion "it looked like you were trying to pick the lock."

"Which is a bad idea since a demon god lives in there" said John.

"I am not a demon" said Hanyu.

"Well you two caught me, we're trying to break into the warehouse but no-one's supposed to know okay?"

"Hey don't they keep the tools for the rituals in there?" asked Shion. "No-one is allowed in there except for the Furude family and a small select group of people."

"Because entering leads to getting cursed" said John.

"I wouldn't curse anyone" said Hanyu.

"Okay done" said Tomitake.

"Good work Jiro, at last" she opened the doors.

"Aren't you just a little bit curious?" asked Shion.

"I already know what's in there" said John "it's nothing good."

"Good relationship with Rika after all" said Shion "so I'm seeing what's in there anyway."

"Okay I'll keep watch out here" said Tomitake.

"Then the rest of us can take a look" said Takano. They went inside anyway and the light was turned on revealing a statue of Oyashiro or who everyone thought was Oyashiro.

"Its better than the one at the other shrine" said Shion.

"John, how long have you lived here exactly?" asked Takano.

"About ten years" said John.

"Then you know about the other meaning of the Wataganashi festival?"

"Intestines" said John; he'd been creped out by that part of the show "what Rika was doing was tearing out cotton from a futon rather than organs from a person."

"Why yes, that's the idea. That once the villagers here had demon blood inside them and used the festival to feast on the flesh and blood of a victim." Light was shined on the torture tools.

"You are a sick human being" said John.

"So quick to judge, are you going to make sure I die this year?"

"I won't deny it's a tempting thought" said John 'course her guards hiding all around the village would probably stop me.'

"John" Shion was a little taken back.

"Why wait, all these tools around and alone I would be easy to have accident why you could kill me right now if you really wanted to" said Takano with a smile. Hanyu kept shaking her head and giving him a pleading look.

"Tempting" John noticed the signs of carrying a concealed gun now "yet I wouldn't want to dirty the place."

"I imagine so; being a man of two worlds you really can't dirty much of anything can you?"

"What?"

"You really should be more careful lest you end up being cursed as well" said Takano. John felt slight itching on his neck.

"Hey" Tomitake opened the doors "are you almost done in here the dance is over so everyone is heading to the stream."

They left abruptly going their separate ways.

"John what was up with you being so hostile to Ms. Takano?" asked Shion.

"There's something rotten about her I really don't like and that just confirmed it" said John.

"So did you hear it too?"

"Hear what?"

"That banging sound."

John took a moment to glare at Hanyu who looked down in apology "nope not a thing."

"Mi" Rika grabbed him from behind and Shion excused herself.

"About time" said Satako.

"You and Shion really had to take that long" said Mion.

"Try not to go missing for so long" said Rena.

"You missed the end of the dance" said Keiichi "yet Rika did it perfectly."

"Except for the subtle mistake at the end that she always makes" said John.

"Mi" said Rika looking down.

"I kid Rika I'm sure you did it perfectly" 'you've certainly had enough practice.'

"Well come on John get some cotton and throw it in the stream" said Mion.

"I'm going I'm going." John got the cotton drifting part out of the way and did his best to ignore the feeling he was being watched. 'Don't get paranoid, don't get paranoid don't activate the syndrome…' he caught Takano giving him a knowing smile out of the corner of his eye for a moment and that made him shiver.

The next day he checked as was normal for him now and saw he was in London this time.

'Not good.'

"John" his mother came in with a knife "good to see you awake, school starts soon you don't want to miss it."

"I won't" said John staying as far away as possible.

"By the way, did you sneak out last night?" she asked.

"What?"

"You went somewhere you weren't supposed to didn't you?" she asked. "I know you did."

"W-would you please put that down?"

"Just where did you go John?" she approached with the bloody knife in her hand.

'Blood, no it's the syndrome stop being paranoid, stop it!'

"I'd like an answer young man" she said with slit eyes "if I don't get one I'll be upset."

"I didn't I promise you."

"Okay then, don't keep Rika waiting."

"Of course I won't."

"And John" his mother added "it doesn't matter."

"What doesn't?"

"No matter which world you run to or how far you run it doesn't matter, you will never escape" she softly touched his face while he was shaking "_**we will always find you.**_ So be a good boy and get dressed for Rika" she left him and the cicadas sung in the background.

'Get under control, under control, don't go crazy.' John got dressed and saw to Rika.

"Good to see your well today" said Rika.

"Just barely."

"Are you feeling sick again today?" asked Rika.

A little but it should pass" said John.

"You've been getting sick quite a bit lately" Rika noted.

"That's illness for you it comes and goes" said John "now we should be going."

They reached school and had a mostly normal day well normal till it was mentioned that Tomitake and Takano had been found dead as usual around this time of year. Then the Priest in charge of the Shrine had gone missing as well.

'The only one not creped out is Rika, though I guess she's used to this kind of thing by now.' Now it was a matter of how to stop things from getting out of hand. Things were very different with only a few variables constant so what could he change to prevent things from turning ugly? "It just seems so hopeless."

"What does?" asked Rena.

"Rena you're strong enough."

"Strong enough for what?"

"If I start dragging a baseball bat around like Satoshi" she got the serious look on her face "promise me you'll knock me out, tie me up and keep me that way till I'm sane again" said John.

"Why would you say such a thing?" asked Satako who'd overheard.

"Whose Satoshi?" asked Keiichi.

John was now seeing why Rika had just given up hope of changing things; the only alternative was a suicidal depression. Getting a good outcome just didn't seem possible.

All of a sudden the Suntetsu in his pocket felt like a good tool to take to his own neck. His own itching neck.

"Ah ha I know what's wrong!" declared Mion.

"Do you?"

"Yes you're not the real John!"

"What?"

"What do you mean he's not the real one?" asked Keiichi.

"It's simple; the real John has been killed and replaced by a Mysteron clone!"

"A Mysteron clone?"

"So any moment now the green rings are going to talk to us?" asked Rena.

"But he hasn't called us Earth Women yet" said Satako "so maybe he regained his humanity and is depressed at being a clone."

"So then he'd be like Captain Scarlet" said Rika.

"How on earth have you heard about that show?" asked John.

"What do you mean how do we know, you're the one that introduced it to us" said Mion.

"Remember we went over to your house once and saw you watching it" said Rika.

"What is Captain Scarlet?" asked Keiichi.

"An old British TV show, but it's a really good one" said Mion "even though it uses puppets."

"I always thought the puppets made it cuter" said Rena.

"You would" said John rolling his eyes yet it did help his mood. 'I can't just give up, no matter how insane things may get.'

"Sounds interesting" said Keiichi.

"Maybe not for you" said John "it's a show full of paranoia fuel" 'and that's the last thing he needs.'


End file.
